dw.jimmythekid-第25节

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ixty…eight；　and　soon　they　passed　the　Caddy；　moving　obediently　at　fifty　in　the　right　lane。　〃Mom's　already　talking　to　him；〃　Murch　said。
　They　could　see　the　father　on　the　phone　in　back。　The　chauffeur　glanced　at　them　out　of　his　reflecting　sunglasses　as　they　went　by。　Look　at　that　Mustang；　Kirby　thought；　and　hated　the　frustration　that　he　couldn't　lean　into　this　Caddy　and　run　a　couple　rings　about　that　little　beast。　Later；　on　the　way　back。
　At　the　Burger　King；　Murch's　Mom　dialed　the　operator；　and　yelled；　〃I　want　to　call　a　mobile　unit　in　a　private　car！〃
　〃Well；　you　don't　have　to　yell　about　it；〃　the　operator　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃You　have　trouble　on　your　line；〃　the　operator　said。　〃Hang　up　and　dial　again。〃
　〃What？　I　can't　hear　you　with　all　these　motorcycles！〃
　〃Oh；〃　said　the　operator。　〃You　want　to　call　a　mobile　unit？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Do　you　want　to　call　a　mobile　unit？〃
　〃Why　do　you　think　I'm　putting　up　with　all　this？〃
　〃Do　you　have　the　number？〃
　〃Yes！〃
　Harrington　was　saying；　〃Now　in　the　matter　of　that　prospectus。　I　think　our　posture　before　the　SEC　is　that　while　the　prospectus　did　speak　of　homesites；　it　does　not　at　any　point　say　anything　about　a　munity。　A　munity　would　necessarily　imply　the　existence　of　available　water。　A　homesite　would　not。　Country　retreat；　weekend　cottage；　that　sort　of　thing。　Have　Bill　Timmins　see　what　he　can　root　up　by　way　of　precedents。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　secretary。
　〃Then　call　Danforth　in　Oklahoma　and　tell　him　that　Marseilles　crowd　just　will　not　budge　on　the　three…for…two　stock　swap。　Tell　him　my　suggestion　is　that　we　threaten　to　simply　bow　out　on　the　railroad　end　of　it　and　carry　our　venture　capital　elsewhere。　If　he　approves；　try　and　arrange　a　phone　conference　with　Grandin　for　nine…thirty　tomorrow　morning；　New　York　time。　If　Danforth　has　a　problem；　give　him　my　home　number；　and　tell　him　I　should　be　there　in；　oh；　two　hours　at　the　very　most。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　secretary。
　〃But　the　line's　busy！〃　the　operator　8aid。
　〃Well；　try　again！〃　Murch's　Mom　said。
　Murch　reached　the　off　ramp　for　the　Hope　exit；　and　slowed　for　the　curve。　In　all　of　New　Jersey；　this　was　the　closest　Interstate　80　exit　to　the　one　described　in　the　book。　There　was　one　small　mercial　building　down　on　the　county　road；　just　north　of　the　off　ramp；　but　that　was　all。　As　for　a　main　highway　exit　with　no　buildings　or　population　around　it；　there　was　no　such　thing　on　Interstate　80　in　New　Jersey；　and　Dortmunder　doubted　there　was　any　such　thing　along　Northern　State　Parkway　on　Long　Island；　the　site　of　Child　Heist。　The　writer　had　just　been　making　things　easy　for　himself；　that's　all。
　Murch　pulled　to　a　stop　next　to　the　wall　of　the　overpass。　Interstate　80　made　a　humming　roof　over　their　heads。　〃It　won't　be　long　now；〃　Murch　said。
　Dortmunder　didn't　say　anything。
　〃The　line's　still　busy！〃　the　operator　said。
　〃Hold　on　a　minute！〃
　〃What？〃
　〃I　said　hold　on！　Wait！　Don't　go　away！'〃
　〃Oh！〃
　Murch's　Mom；　leaving　the　phone　off　the　hook；　stepped　out　of　the　booth　and　went　over　to　the　Roadrunner。　She　had　seen　tools　on　the　back　seat；　yes；　there　was　a　nice　big　monkey　wrench。　She　picked　it　up；　hefted　it；　and　went　over　to　stand　in　front　of　the　motorcyclists；　who　were　sitting　on　their　throbbing　machines；　filling　their　faces　with　whoppers。　She　didn't　say　anything；　not　that　it　would　have　been　possible　in　any　event。　She　stood　looking　at　them。　She　thumped　the　monkey　wrench　gently　into　the　palm　of　her　left　hand。　She　lifted　it；　thumped　it　gently　again；　lifted　it；　thumped　it；　lifted　it；　thumped　it。
　They　became　aware　of　her。　Their　eyes　followed　the　small　movements　of　the　monkey　wrench。　They　looked　at　one　another；　and　they　looked　at　Murch's　Mom's　face。　Methodically；　without　any　appearance　of　undue　haste　but　nevertheless　efficiently；　they　stuffed　their　mouths　with　the　rest　of　their　whoppers；　packed　their　pockets　with　french　fries；　tied　their　Cokes　to　their　gas　tanks　with　little　leather　straps；　and　drove　away。
　Murch's　Mom　went　back　to　the　phone　booth。　She　put　down　the　monkey　wrench　and　picked　up　the　phone。　〃Hello；〃　she　said。　〃You　still　there？〃
　〃I'm　still　here！〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　yell；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　She　was　being　very　calm。
　〃I　don't？〃
　〃No。　But　you　have　to　call　that　goddam　car！〃
　The　Cadillac　breezed　past　the　tomato　juice　bottle　with　the　instructions　in　it；　milk　doesn't　e　in　bottles　any　more；　it　es　in　plastic　cartons。　Harrington；　on　the　phone；　said　to　his　secretary；　〃Tell　him　our　client's　feeling　is　he　can　loan　him　the　seventeen；　but　he'll　need　some　form　of　security　other　than　the　department　store。　Tell　him；　off　the　record；　our　client　is　quite　frankly　worried　about　that　marital　situation　of　his。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　secretary。
　〃Should　be　any　second　now；〃　Murch　said。
　Dortmunder　twisted　around　and　looked　back。　No　suit。　case　came　falling　through　the　air。
　The　Cadillac　sailed　past　the　Hope　exit；　over　the　overpass　and　on；　toward　the　Delaware　Water　Gap。
　Back　at　the　deserted　farmhouse；　May　and　Kelp　and　Jimmy　sat　at　the　card　table。　〃Knock　with　two；〃　Jimmy　said；　and　spread　out　his　rummy　hand。
　〃Ouch；〃　said　Kelp。
　〃I　have　to　get　through　to　that　car！〃
　〃When　Fm　in　Washington；　we　can　arrange　the　meeting　with　Congressman　Henley　and　then　perhaps　get　a　little　action。〃
　Murch　said；　〃I　think　maybe　something　went　wrong。〃
　Dortmunder　didn't　say　anything。
　〃And　if　anything　else　es　up；〃　Harrington　said；　〃you　should　be　able　to　reach　me　at　home　certainly　by　six　o'clock。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　secretary。
　Harrington　hung　up。　He　said　to　Maurice；　〃Nothing's　happened　yet；　eh？〃
　〃No；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　who　wasn't　Maurice　at　all。　That's　right；　it　was　the　FBI　man；　Kirby。
　〃What's　that　up　ahead？〃　Harrington　asked。
　〃The　Delaware　Water　Gap。〃
　〃Oh；　really？〃　Harrington　said；　and　the　phone　rang。　Expecting　his　secretary　to　be　calling　back；　he　picked　it　up　and　said；　〃Hello？〃
　Some　woman　screamed　gibberish　at　him。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing　on　the　goddam　phone！〃
　〃What？　Oh；　for　heaven's　sake；　it's　the　kidnapper！〃
　Kirby　slammed　on　the　brakes；　and　the　Caddy　slued　all　over　the　road。　Kirby　shouted；　〃Where？　Where？〃
　〃Don't　drive　like　that！〃　Harrington　cried。　〃Maurice　never　drives　like　that！〃
　〃Where's　the　kidnapper？〃　Kirby　had　bee　calmer　again；　was　driving　forward；　was　looking　all　around　without　quite　acknowledging　the　glares　of　the　other　drivers　passing　him；　the　ones　he'd　just　barely　missed　when　he'd　braked　so　abruptly
　〃On　the　phone；〃　Harrington　said。　The　woman　was　babbling　away　on　the　phone；　rancorous　and　belligerent；　and　Harrington　said；　〃I　am　sorry。　I　had　no　idea。　If　you'd　told　me；　of　course；　I　would　have…〃
　〃Where　are　you？〃
　〃Where　am　I？　Where　you　told　me　to　be；　on　route　80。〃
　〃But　where？〃
　〃Just　crossing　the　Delaware　Water　Gap；〃　Harrington　said。　〃Isn't　that　strange。　I've　lived　so　close　to　it　for　so　many　years；　and　I've　just　never　had　occasion　to　travel　this　way　before。　It's　really　quite…〃
　〃The　Delaware　Water　Gap？〃　You've　over…you're　way　the　hell　and…you　went　too　far！〃
　〃I　did？〃
　〃You've　got　to　e　back。　Listen；　what　you　do；　you　turn　around　and　e　back；　and　I'll　go　get　a　road　map。　e　back；　don't　drive　too　fast；　stay　off　the　goddam　phone　and　I'll　call　you　again。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Harrington　said；　and　leaned　forward　to　say　to　Kirby；　〃We　have　to　go　back。〃
　Kirby　said；　〃Do　you　have　a　quarter？　It's　a　toll　bridge。〃　Murch's　Mom　left　the　phone　booth　and　went　over　to　the　Roadrunner。　She　tossed　the　wrench　on　the　back　seat　and　went　through　the　glove　partment；　looking　for　a　road　map。　Pennsylvania；　New　York；　Delaware；　Connecticut；　Utah。　Utah？　No　New　Jersey。
　There　was　a　Mobil　station　across　the　highway　from　the　Burger　King。　Murch's　Mom　risked　life　and　limb　to　run　across　route　46；　get　a　New　Jersey　map；　and　run　back　again。　She　studied　the　map；　and　then　called　Harrington　again。　This　was　costing　a　fortune；　she'd　brought　almost　ten　dollars　in　change；　and　it　might　not　be　enough。
　〃Hello？〃
　〃Look；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃This　is　very　simple；　so　just　do　it　and　don't　screw　up。〃
　〃I　really　don't　think　you　have　to　take　that　tone　with　me；〃　Harrington　said。　〃If　you'd　told　me　earlier　that　you　meant　to　contact　me　on　this　phone；　I　would　have　made　sure　the　line　was　kept　open。〃
　〃So　you　and　the　cops　could　set　up　some　sort　of　trap；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃That's　what　we　didn't　want。〃
　〃The　authorities　have　assured　me　they　will　do　nothing　to　endanger…〃
　〃Yeah；　yeah。　Let's　get　on　with　it；　all　right？〃
　〃Certainly。　The　ball's　in　your　court。〃
　〃The　what？〃
　〃You're　in　charge；〃　Harrington　said。
　Murch's　mom　sighed　〃Sure；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　have　a　New　Jersey　map　in　the　car？〃
　〃I'll　check　with　Maurice。　I　mean　Kirby。　I　mean　Maurice！〃
　Under　the　overpass；　Murch　said；　〃What　the　hell　do　you　suppose　is　going　on？〃
　〃I　suppose；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃I　suppose　I　let　myself　get　talked　into　another　Kelp　special；　that's　what　I　suppose。　You　notice　he　isn't　here。〃
　〃Somebody　had　to　watch　the　kid。〃
　Dortmunder　opened　the　car　door　and　got　out。
　〃Where　you　goin'？〃
　〃Look　things　over；〃　Dortmunder　said。　He　walked　along　the　verge　of　the　road；　out　from　under　the　overpass　and　far　enough　away　so　he　could　look　up　at　the　highway。　He　stood　there　looking　at　cars　go　by　in　both　directions。　He　stood　there；　trucks　and　cars　going　by。